Selecting receiver parameters based upon transmitting device identification via transmission characteristics

ABSTRACT

A wireless device includes at least one antenna, an RF interface, and processing circuitry coupled to the RF interface and indirectly to the at least one antenna. The wireless device identifies other wireless devices that service based upon transmission characteristics of wireless signals received from other wireless devices and/or relative positions of the other wireless devices with respect to itself. In a first operational period, the wireless device determines transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices. Then, during a second operational period, without further interaction with the other wireless devices, the wireless device determines communication link characteristics based simply upon transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present U.S. utility patent application claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120, as a continuation of U.S. utility patent application havingan application Ser. No. 11/796,166, filed Apr. 27, 2007, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,238,933, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entiretyfor all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to wireless communicationsystems; and more particularly to the servicing of communications by awireless device.

2. Related Art

Communication systems are well known. Communication systems include bothwired communication systems and wireless communication systems. Wiredcommunication systems include the Public Switched Telephone Network(PSTN), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Local Area Networks (LANs), and othernetworks that use wired or optical media for the transmission of data.Wireless communication systems include cellular telephone systems,satellite communication systems, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs),e.g., IEEE 802.11x networks, Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs), e.g.,WiMAX networks, Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs), e.g., Bluetoothand IEEE 802.15 networks, and other networks that employ a wireless linkbetween serviced wireless devices. Of course, many communications areserviced using a combination of wireless communication systems and wiredcommunication systems.

The network infrastructure of WWANs and WLANs include backhaul networksand a plurality of Access Points (APs). Each AP supports wirelesscommunications within a respective service area. A WWAN AP serviceswireless terminals within a relatively large radius, e.g., one or moremiles. WLAN APs service wireless terminals within a much smaller radius,e.g., one hundred yards or less. A WLAN, supported by one ore more WLANAPs, may service a premises such as an office complex, a coffee shop, anairport lounge, a home, etc. Wireless terminals may roam within a WLANservice area and/or from WLAN service area to WLAN service area. A WWANservice area may extend for miles and is contemplated to service lowerdensity subscriber areas within rural areas, for example. WPANstypically service communications between wireless devices at a maximumdistance of 10 meters. WPAN wireless terminals typically have theability to establish WPAN communications with any proximate servicinghost/peer device.

Typically, a WLAN AP or WWAN AP point supports a number of wirelessterminals, each at differing locations within its servicing area. Thelocation of each wireless terminal with respect to the AP may be fixed.Thus, each time that the AP services a particular wireless terminal, asame communication protocol is used and the wireless terminal resides inthe same relative position with respect to the AP. Further, based uponsimilar operations of the wireless terminal from time period to timeperiod, the AP may use similar gain settings, imbalance compensation,and other operations. However, the AP must determine and re-determinethese communication characteristics each time that the AP servicescommunications with the wireless device. Determining and enacting thesecommunication characteristics during each servicing consumes processingresources of the AP and also consumes allocated spectrum without anydata carrying. Thus, a need exists to reduce or eliminate these wastedprocessing and spectrum allocation uses.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operationthat are further described in the following Brief Description of theDrawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims.Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of the invention madewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a portion of a cellular wirelesscommunication system that supports wireless devices operating accordingto embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram functionally illustrating a wireless deviceconstructed according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a wireless deviceaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a service area topological view illustrating operations of awireless device according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a wireless deviceaccording to one or more other embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a service area topological view illustrating operations of awireless device according to other embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a portion of a cellular wirelesscommunication system that supports wireless devices operating accordingto embodiments of the present invention. The principles of the presentinvention are applicable to any system that supports data networking.Thus the structure of FIG. 1 will be described herein for cellularcommunication systems, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), WirelessWide Area Networks (WWANs), and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs).However, the principles of the present invention apply to other types ofwireless systems as well.

Each of a plurality of service areas (cells/sectors/coverage areas) 7and 9 is serviced by a base station and/or Access Point (AP) 17, 19 thatsupports wireless communications with a plurality of wireless devices21-23, 25-31. In supporting cellular communications, each of the basestations 17 and 19 supports one or more cellular standards that mayinclude the Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM) standards,the North American Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standards, theNorth American Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) standards, the3^(rd) Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards, the 1xRTTstandards, the 1xEV-DO standards, the 1xEV-DV standards, and theUniversal Mobile Telecommunications Services (UMTS)/Wideband CDMA(WCDMA) standards, among others. These supported standards may furtherinclude the High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) standards, the HighSpeed Uplink Packet Access standards, the 1xEV-DO standards, and the1xEV-DV standards, for example, that specifically support high rate datacommunications.

In supporting other types of wireless systems, e.g., WLAN systems, WWANsystems, access points 7 and 9 support a WLAN standard such as one ormore of the IEEE 802.11x standards, a WWAN standard such as WiMAXstandard, or another wireless interface standard that supports high ratedata transfers. Typically, base stations are used for cellular telephonesystems and like-type systems, while APs are used for in-home orin-building wireless networks. Regardless of the particular type ofcommunication system, each base station/access point 7 and 9 andwireless device 21-23 and 25-31 includes a built-in radio transceiverand/or is coupled to a radio transceiver to facilitate direct and/orin-direct wireless communications within the communication system 5. AnIBSS 11 services a plurality of wireless devices 33-37 and operatesaccording to a WLAN standard such as one or more of the IEEE 802.11sstandards, a WPAN standard such as the Bluetooth standards or the IEEE802.15 standards, or other wireless interface standards that supportdirect communication between wireless devices without an infrastructurebase station/access point. Each of the wireless devices 21-37 may belaptop host computers 21 and 25, personal digital assistant hosts 23 and29, personal computer hosts 31 and 33, and/or cellular telephone hosts27 and 35.

The base stations/access points 17 and 19 are operably coupled tonetwork hardware 15 via network connections 39 and 43. The networkhardware 15, which may be a Base Station Controller (BSC), a MobileSwitching Station (MSC), a Radio Network Controller (RNC), router,switch, bridge, modem, system controller, et cetera, provides a networkconnection 41 for the communication system 5. Each of the base stationsor access points 17, 19 has an associated antenna or antenna array tocommunicate with the wireless devices in its area. Typically, thewireless devices register with a particular base station or access point17, 19 to receive services from the communication system 5. For directconnections (i.e., point-to-point communications) within IBSS 11,wireless devices 33-37 communicate directly via an allocated channel.

The principles of the present invention apply to each of the wirelessdevices 21-23, 25-29, and 33-37 as well as to each of the basestations/access points 17 and 19. Generally, a wireless device operatingaccording to the present invention, e.g., AP 17, uniquely orsemi-uniquely identifies each other wireless device with which itcommunicates by the transmit characteristics of the other wirelessdevices. These transmit characteristics are determined based uponwireless signals received from the other wireless devices. Thetransmission characteristics may be determined from the preamble of thewireless signal, from multiple copies of the wireless signal receivedvia multiple antennas, or other characteristics of the wireless signal.The transmit characteristic may be characteristics of the receivedwireless signal, relative positions of the other wireless devices, orother characteristics that allows the wireless device to uniquely (orsemi-uniquely) identify each other of the wireless devices.

After identifying the other wireless device via respective transmissioncharacteristics, e.g. PDA 23, via its transmission characteristics, theAP 17 determines communication link characteristics for the otherwireless device 23 via interaction with the other wireless device 23.The next time that the other wireless device 23 transmits to thewireless device, AP 17, requesting service from the AP 17, the AP 17identifies the other wireless device 23 via its transmissioncharacteristics determined during the later interaction. Based upon thisidentification of the other wireless device 23 via the transmissioncharacteristics, the AP 17 simply retrieves the correspondingcommunication link characteristics and applies them. Thus, the AP 17does not need to again determine the communication link characteristicsit will employ with the other wireless device but simply retrieves andenacts them. The principles of the present invention will be describedfurther with reference to particular embodiments of FIGS. 2-6.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram functionally illustrating a wireless deviceconstructed according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thewireless device may be one of the wireless devices of FIG. 1 or one ofthe base station/APs of FIG. 1. The wireless device includes hostprocessing components 202 and an associated radio 204. For cellulartelephones, for WLAN phones, for WWAN phones, and for other particulardevices, the host processing components and the radio 204 are typicallycontained within a single housing. In some cellular telephones, the hostprocessing components 202 and some or all of the components of the radio204 are formed on a single Integrated Circuit (IC). For personal digitalassistants hosts, laptop hosts, and/or personal computer hosts, theradio 204 may reside within an expansion card or upon a mother boardand, therefore, be housed separately from the host processing components202. The host processing components 202 include at least a processingmodule 206, memory 208, radio interface 210, an input interface 212, andan output interface 214. The processing module 206 and memory 208execute instructions to support host terminal functions. For example,for a cellular telephone host device, the processing module 206 performsuser interface operations and executes host software programs amongother operations.

The radio interface 210 allows data to be received from and sent to theradio 204. For data received from the radio 204 (e.g., inbound data),the radio interface 210 provides the data to the processing module 206for further processing and/or routing to the output interface 214. Theoutput interface 214 provides connectivity to an output display devicesuch as a display, monitor, speakers, et cetera such that the receiveddata may be displayed. The radio interface 210 also provides data fromthe processing module 206 to the radio 204. The processing module 206may receive the outbound data from an input device such as a keyboard,keypad, microphone, et cetera via the input interface 212 or generatethe data itself. For data received via the input interface 212, theprocessing module 206 may perform a corresponding host function on thedata and/or route it to the radio 204 via the radio interface 210.

Radio 204 includes a host interface 220, baseband processing module 222(baseband processor) 222, analog-to-digital converter 224,filtering/gain module 226, down conversion module 228, low noiseamplifier 230, local oscillation module 232, memory 234,digital-to-analog converter 236, filtering/gain module 238,up-conversion module 240, power amplifier 242, RX filter module 264, TXfilter module 258, TX/RX switch module 260, and antenna 248. Antenna 248may be a single antenna that is shared by transmit and receive paths(half-duplex) or may include separate antennas for the transmit path andreceive path (full-duplex). The antenna implementation will depend onthe particular standard to which the wireless communication device iscompliant.

The baseband processing module 222 includes one or more processingdevices, some of which may be dedicated hardware components and some ofwhich may be digital processors that execute operational instructionssuch as software instructions or firmware instructions. The basebandprocessing module 222 in combination with operational instructionsstored in memory 234, execute digital receiver functions and digitaltransmitter functions. The digital receiver functions include, but arenot limited to, digital intermediate frequency to baseband conversion,demodulation, constellation demapping, descrambling, and/or decoding.The digital transmitter functions include, but are not limited to,encoding, scrambling, constellation mapping, modulation, and/or digitalbaseband to IF conversion. Transmit and receive functions provided bythe baseband processing module 222 may be implemented using sharedprocessing devices and/or individual processing devices.

Processing devices, such as the baseband processing module 222, mayinclude microprocessors, micro-controllers, digital signal processors,microcomputers, central processing units, field programmable gatearrays, programmable logic devices, state machines, logic circuitry,analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that manipulatessignals (analog and/or digital) based on operational instructions. Thememory 234 may be a single memory device or a plurality of memorydevices. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random accessmemory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamicmemory, flash memory, and/or any device that stores digital information.Note that when the baseband processing module 222 implements one or moreof its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory storing the correspondingoperational instructions is embedded with the circuitry comprising thestate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry.

In operation, the radio 204 receives outbound data 250 from the hostprocessing components via the host interface 220. The host interface 220routes the outbound data 250 to the baseband processing module 222,which processes the outbound data 250 in accordance with a particularwireless communication standard (e.g., UMTS/WCDMA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE,HSDPA, HSUPA, 802.11x, WiMAX, 802.15, Bluetooth, et cetera) to producedigital transmission formatted data 252. The digital transmissionformatted data 252 is a digital baseband signal or a digital low IFsignal, where the low IF will be in the frequency range of zero to a fewkilohertz/megahertz.

The digital-to-analog converter 236 converts the digital transmissionformatted data 252 from the digital domain to the analog domain. Thefiltering/gain module 238 filters and/or adjusts the gain of the analogsignal prior to providing it to the up-conversion module 240. Theup-conversion module 240 directly or in a multi-step process convertsthe analog baseband or low IF signal into an RF signal based on atransmitter local oscillation 254 provided by local oscillation module232. The power amplifier 242 amplifies the RF signal to produce outboundRF signal 256, which is filtered by the TX filter module 258. The TX/RXswitch module 260 receives the amplified and filtered RF signal from theTX filter module 258 and provides the output RF signal 256 signal to theantennas 248A and/or 248B, which transmits the outbound RF signal 256 toa targeted device such as a base station 103-106.

The radio 204 also receives an inbound RF signal 262, which wastransmitted by a base station via the antennas 248A and/or 248B, theTX/RX switch module 260, and the RX filter module 264. The low noiseamplifier 230 receives inbound RF signal 262 and amplifies the inboundRF signal 262 to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. The low noiseamplifier 230 provides the amplified inbound RF signal to the downconversion module 228, which converts the amplified inbound RF signalinto an inbound low IF signal or baseband signal based on a receiverlocal oscillation 266 provided by local oscillation module 232. The downconversion module 228 provides the inbound low IF signal (or basebandsignal) to the filtering/gain module 226, which filters and/or adjuststhe gain of the signal before providing it to the analog to digitalconverter 224.

The analog-to-digital converter 224 converts the filtered inbound low IFsignal (or baseband signal) from the analog domain to the digital domainto produce digital reception formatted data 268. The baseband processingmodule 222 demodulates, demaps, descrambles, and/or decodes the digitalreception formatted data 268 to recapture inbound data 270 in accordancewith the particular wireless communication standard being implemented byradio 204. The host interface 220 provides the recaptured inbound data270 to the host processing components 202 via the radio interface 210.

As the reader will appreciate, all components of the radio 204,including the baseband processing module 222 and the RF front endcomponents may be formed on a single integrated circuit. In anotherconstruct, the baseband processing module 222 and the RF front endcomponents of the radio 204 may be formed on separate integratedcircuits. The radio 204 may be formed on a single integrated circuitalong with the host processing components 202. In still otherembodiments, the baseband processing module 222 and the host processingcomponents 202 may be formed on separate integrated circuits. Thus, allcomponents of FIG. 2 excluding the antenna, display, speakers, et ceteraand keyboard, keypad, microphone, et cetera may be formed on a singleintegrated circuit. Many differing constructs integrated circuitconstructs are possible without departing from the teachings of thepresent invention.

The TX/RX switch module 260 services both antennas 248A and 248B. Alongwith the servicing provided by other components of the radio 204, theTX/RX switch module 260 supports directional antenna gain operationsusing the multiple antennas 248A and 248B. Thus, the radio 204 is ableto modify the antenna gain pattern based upon desired operationsaccording to some aspects to the present invention. These operationswill be further described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a wireless deviceaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Operation300 of the wireless device commences with idle/other operations (Step302) that are performed in addition to the other operations of thepresent invention. According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the operations300 of the wireless device are segregated into first operational periodoperations and second operational period operations. Generally, thefirst operational period differs from the second operational period.However, the first operational period and the second operational periodmay be interspersed over time with one another.

Generally, during a first operational period, the wireless devicereceives a wireless signal from another wireless device of a pluralityof other wireless devices (Step 304). The wireless signal received fromthe other wireless device may include a header (of a control packet ordata packet, for example) that has contained therein a plurality ofpreamble symbols. According to one embodiment of the operation 300 ofFIG. 3, the wireless device uses the preamble symbols to determinetransmission characteristics for the other wireless device (Step 306).According to this embodiment, the transmission characteristicsdetermined at Step 306 may be a clock offset between the wireless deviceand the other wireless device, a phase shift between copies of thewireless signal received via differing antennas of the wireless device,a received signal strength of the wireless signal, in-phase/quadratureimbalance of the wireless signal, and/or carrier leakage of the wirelesssignal. Of course, transmission characteristics that are determinedbased upon the wireless signal received from the other wireless devicemay include other characteristics as well.

After the wireless device has determined the transmissioncharacteristics of the other wireless device at Step 306, the wirelessdevice determines communication link characteristics of the otherwireless device (Step 308). In determining the communication linkcharacteristics of the other wireless device, the wireless deviceinteracts with the other wireless device over an established wirelesslink. Such interaction may include sending control packets between thewireless device and the other wireless device. Communication linkcharacteristics determined at Step 308 may include receiver gainsettings that the wireless device uses to service communications withthe other wireless device, coding settings used by the wireless deviceto communicate with the other wireless device, a communication protocolstandard that is supported by the wireless device in communicating withthe other wireless device, or other communication link characteristicsthat will be described further herein or that would fall within thescope of the present invention.

After the wireless device determines the communication linkcharacteristics of the other wireless device via interaction with theother wireless device, the wireless device enacts the communication linkcharacteristics and services communications with the other wirelessdevice (Step 310). Finally, the wireless device stores the transmissioncharacteristics determined at Step 306 in conjunction with thecommunication link characteristics determined at Step 308 for the otherwireless device (Step 312). From Step 312, operation returns to Step302. The reader should appreciate that the first operational periodcorresponds to a particular one of the other wireless devices. Differingfirst operational periods may occur for each of the other wirelessdevices when determining transmission characteristics and correspondingcommunication link characteristics for the other wireless device.

During a second operational period that differs from the firstoperational period, the wireless device receives a wireless signal froma transmitting wireless device (Step 314). However, upon receipt of thewireless signal from the transmitting wireless device at Step 314, thewireless device does not know the identity of the transmitting deviceinitially or communication link characteristics to employ incommunicating with the transmitting wireless device. Thus, according toan embodiment of the present invention, the wireless device firstdetermines transmission characteristics of the transmitting wirelessdevice based upon the wireless signal received from the transmittingwireless device (Step 316). The manner in which the wireless devicedetermines the transmission characteristics at Step 316 is same/similarto the manner in which the transmission characteristics were determinedat step 306. Then, instead of performing additional operations todetermine communication link characteristics for the transmittingwireless device, the wireless device retrieves communication linkcharacteristics from storage based upon the transmission characteristicsdetermined at Step 316. Thus, at Step 318, the wireless devicepresumptively determines that the transmission characteristicscorrespond to a particular wireless device previously communicated withduring the first operational period and enacts communication linkcharacteristics with the transmitting wireless device (Step 320). Then,the wireless device services the communications with the transmittingwireless device (Step 322).

According to the operations 314-322 of the second operational period,the wireless device saves processing time and communication time by notre-determining communication link characteristics for the transmittingwireless device via communication link investigation. Instead, thewireless device simply retrieves information from memory to indicate thecommunication link characteristics of the transmitting wireless device.Of course, if the wireless device does not find a match for thetransmission characteristics at Step 318, the wireless device wouldpresume that the communication occurred during a first operationalperiod. Thus, a failed operation at Step 318 causes operations to moveto Step 308 instead of to Step 320. The reader should understand thatthe description with reference to FIG. 3 may be altered during suchoperational duration.

FIG. 4 is a service area topological view illustrating operations of awireless device according to embodiments of the present invention. Theexamples used with reference to FIG. 4 consider that the wireless deviceis an AP 402 within system 400 while the other wirelessdevices/transmitting wireless devices are wireless terminals 404-414 orother AP. During any of a plurality of first operational periods, the AP402 receives at least one preamble from one of the other wirelessdevices 404-416. With particular reference to wireless device 404, thewireless device 404 transmits a wireless signal (that may include aheader having a preamble) to AP 402. AP 402 determines transmissioncharacteristics of the other wireless device 404 based upon the wirelesssignal. Then, based upon the exchange of communications between AP 402and other wireless device 404, the AP 402 determines communication linkcharacteristic of the other wireless device 404. Then, the AP 402 enactsa communication link with the other wireless device 404 based upon thedetermined communication link characteristics. The AP 402 then storesthe transmission characteristics in conjunction with the communicationlink characteristics of the other wireless device 404. The AP 402 mayrepeat these operations with each of the other wireless devices 404-416.Then, the AP 402 has stored thereon transmission characteristics of eachof the other wireless devices 404-416 and corresponding communicationlink characteristics. In essence, the wireless device AP 402 hasfingerprinted each of the other wireless devices 404-416 usingtransmission characteristics of the other wireless devices 404-416. Thisfingerprinting has been performed based upon investigations of preamblesreceived from each of these other wireless devices 404-416.

Then, during one or more second operational periods, the AP 402identifies a transmitting wireless device, one of wireless devices404-416, based upon its transmission characteristics (based upon areceived wireless signal). In essence, the AP 402 identifies thetransmitting wireless device as a particular one of wireless devices404-416 based upon the transmission characteristics of the at least onepreamble. Then, instead of performing the time consuming operations ofinteracting with the other wireless device to determine communicationlink characteristics of the wireless device, the AP 402 simply retrievesthe previously stored communication link characteristics. Once thepreviously stored communication link characteristics have been retrievedthat correspond to a transmitting one of the other wireless devices,e.g., wireless device 404, the AP 402 can simply enact the retrievedcommunication link characteristics and service communications with thetransmitting wireless device 404 using the retrieved communication linkcharacteristics.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a wireless deviceaccording to one or more other embodiments of the present invention. Thewireless device operates in an idle mode or performs other operations(Step 502) in addition to performing operations according to the presentinvention. When the wireless device initiates operation during a firstoperational period, for each of a plurality of other wireless devices,the wireless device performs Steps 504-512. In a first operation duringthe first operational period, the wireless device receives a wirelesssignal from the other wireless device of the plurality of other wirelessdevices (Step 504). Then, the wireless device determines a relativeposition of the other wireless device based upon the received wirelesssignal (Step 506). The operations of Step 506 include controlling adirectional antenna having antennas 248A and 248B, for example, undercontrol of the radio 204 (as described with reference to FIG. 2).Generally, in determining the relative position of the other wirelessdevice at Step 506, the wireless device controls a gain pattern of thedirectional antenna until identifying a maximum (or semi-maximum)received signal strength for the transmissions from the other wirelessdevice. In doing so, the wireless device determines a relative angularposition of the other wireless device. Then, based upon additionalinteraction with the other wireless device, the wireless devicedetermines communication link characteristics to be employed with theother wireless device (Step 508). Then, the wireless device enacts thecommunication link characteristics and services communications with theother wireless device using the communication link characteristics (Step510). As was previously described, communication link characteristicsmay include communication protocol standards that support communicationsbetween the wireless device and the other wireless device, receiver gainsettings of the wireless device when communicating with the otherwireless device, coding settings used by the wireless device to servicecommunications with the other wireless device, and/or othercommunication link characteristics. Then, to conclude the operationsduring the first operational period, the wireless device stores therelative positions of the other wireless device in conjunction withcommunication characteristics (Step 512). At Step 512, operation returnsto Step 502. These operations 504-512 will be described further withreference to the system illustrated in FIG. 6.

During a second operational period that differs from the firstoperational period, Steps 514-524 are employed by the wireless devicefor a transmitting wireless device of the plurality of other wirelessdevices. Operation during the second operational period commences withreceiving a wireless signal from a transmitting wireless device (Step514). Operation then continues with determining a relative position ofthe transmitting wireless device based upon the received wireless signal(Step 516). Then, the wireless device retrieves communication linkcharacteristics from storage based upon the relative position determinedat Step 516 (Step 518). If the wireless device is unable to correlatethe determined relative position at Step 516 with a relative positionpreviously stored in memory, operation proceeds to Step 508 wherecommunication link characteristics for the transmitting wireless deviceare determined based upon additional interaction with the transmittingwireless device.

Alternatively, upon retrieval of communication link characteristicsbased upon the relative position determined at Step 516 in the accessoperation of Step 518, the wireless device enacts the retrievedcommunication link characteristics for the transmitting wireless device(Step 520). In doing so, the wireless device enacts the retrievedcommunication link characteristics based upon a presumed identificationof a previously identified other wireless device. Then, operationsduring the second operational period conclude by servicingcommunications with the transmitting wireless device using the retrievedand enacted communication link characteristics (Step 522). From Step 522operation returns to Step 502.

FIG. 6 is a service area topological view illustrating operations of awireless device according to other embodiments of the present invention.The system 600 is employed to further describe operations according tothe embodiment of the present invention is described with reference tothe operations 500 of FIG. 5. With the system 600 of FIG. 6, thewireless device comprises an AP 602 while the other wireless devices604, 606, 608, 610, 612, 614, and 616 may be wireless terminals or otherAPs that are in communication with the AP 602. As is further shown inFIG. 6, differing antenna gain patterns 618, 620, 622, and 624 areshown. Each of these antenna gain patterns 618-624 is exaggerated toshow how the AP 602 could control an antenna array to direct an antennagain pattern for differing ones of the plurality of other wirelessdevices 604-616. A non-directional antenna gain pattern (not shown)would be uniform about the AP 602.

During the first operational period, for some/all of the plurality ofother wireless devices 604-616, the AP 602 receives wireless signalsfrom the other wireless devices 604-616. Then, for some/all of theplurality of the other wireless devices, the AP 602 determines relativepositions of the other wireless devices. After determining a relativeposition of a wireless device, the AP 602 determines communication linkcharacteristics for the other wireless device, enacts communication linkcharacteristics for the other device, and stores the determined relativeposition of the other wireless device in conjunction with thecorresponding communication link characteristics.

For example, during a first operational period, AP 602 receives wirelesssignals from other wireless device 610. Initially, the AP 602 mayreceive these transmissions using a non-directional antenna gainpattern. AP 602 then controls its antenna array to direct an antennagain pattern 620 towards wireless device 610 to determine a relativeposition of the wireless device 610 with respect to AP 602. Viasubsequent communications with the other wireless device 610, AP 602determines communication link characteristics corresponding to the otherwireless device 610. Then, the AP 602 stores the relative position ofthe other wireless device 610 in conjunction with the determinedcommunication link characteristics of the other wireless device 610.

Then, during a second operational period that differs from the firstoperational period, the AP 602 receives transmissions from atransmitting wireless device 610. Such transmissions may be initiallyreceived using a non-directional antenna gain pattern. The AP 602 thendetermines the relative position of the transmitting wireless device 610using its directional antenna. Then, instead of performing furthercommunications and processing, the AP 602 simply retrieves thepreviously stored communication link characteristics based upon therelative position of the transmitting wireless device 610 with respectto AP 602. The AP 602 then enacts the retrieve communication linkcharacteristics and services communications with the transmittingwireless device 610 using the retrieve communication linkcharacteristics.

The operations of the first operational period and second operationalperiod may be performed with any of the other wireless devices 604, 606,608, 610, 612, 614, and 616. Further, the operations of FIGS. 5 and 6could be combined to the operation of FIGS. 3 and 4 to effectivelyfingerprint each of the wireless devices 604-616 based upon not onlytransmission characteristics but also relative positionalcharacteristics of the wireless devices. Further, the communication linkcharacteristics could include directional antenna settings, suchcommunication link characteristics determined based upon transmissioncharacteristics determined from a preamble.

As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the terms “operablycoupled” and “communicatively coupled,” as may be used herein, includedirect coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element,circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, the interveningcomponent, element, circuit, or module does not modify the informationof a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/orpower level. As one of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate,inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another elementby inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elementsin the same manner as “operably coupled” and “communicatively coupled.”

The present invention has also been described above with the aid ofmethod steps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

The present invention has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks illustrating the performance of certainsignificant functions. The boundaries of these functional buildingblocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description.Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significantfunctions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocksmay also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certainsignificant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram blockboundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and stillperform the certain significant functionality. Such alternatedefinitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocksand sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimedinvention.

One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functionalbuilding blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and componentsherein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components,application specific integrated circuits, processors executingappropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity andunderstanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the presentinvention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to oneof average skill in the art that various changes and modifications maybe practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, at a first wireless devicein a network, a first wireless signal from a second wireless device inthe network over a communication link during a first operational period;determining from receiving the first wireless signal at the firstwireless device, transmission characteristics of the second wirelessdevice in transmitting the first wireless signal to the first wirelessdevice; determining, at the first wireless device via interaction withthe second wireless device, communication link characteristics forimplementation on the communication link to service communicationsbetween the first and second wireless devices; enacting thecommunication link characteristics for the communication link to servicecommunications between the first and second wireless devices;associating the transmission characteristics and the communication linkcharacteristics corresponding to the first wireless signal from thesecond wireless device over the communication link; storing, in astorage of the first wireless device, the associated transmissioncharacteristics and the communication link characteristics correspondingto the communication link with the second wireless device; receiving, atthe first wireless device, a second wireless signal from the secondwireless device during a second operational period following the firstoperational period; determining from receiving the second wirelesssignal at the first wireless device, transmission characteristics of thesecond wireless device in transmitting the second wireless signal;searching the storage to identify transmission characteristics stored inthe storage that matches the transmission characteristics determined forthe second wireless signal; retrieving from the storage, correspondingcommunication link characteristics associated with a matchingtransmission characteristics, when there is a match of the transmissioncharacteristics of the second wireless signal to the transmissioncharacteristics of the first wireless signal in the storage; and usingstored communication link characteristics of the matching transmissioncharacteristics, instead of determining communication linkcharacteristics for the second wireless signal by interacting with thesecond wireless device, to service communications on the communicationlink between the first and second wireless devices following receptionof the second wireless signal, but when the matching transmissioncharacteristic is not identified in the storage for the second wirelesssignal, determining the communication link characteristics for thecommunication link, via interaction with the second wireless device. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission characteristics of thesecond wireless device is determined for the first wireless signal by atleast one of: a clock offset between the first wireless device and thesecond wireless device; a phase shift between copies of the firstwireless signal received via differing antennas of the first wirelessdevice; received signal strength of the first wireless signal;in-phase/quadrature imbalance of the first wireless signal; and carrierleakage of the first wireless signal.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe communication link characteristics is determined by at least one of:receiver gain settings of the first wireless device; and coding settingsof the first wireless device.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thecommunication link characteristics is determined by a communicationprotocol standard supporting communications between the first and secondwireless devices.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wirelessdevice operates as an access point for the network.
 6. An apparatuscomprising: a radio frequency (RF) circuitry to wirelessly transmit andreceive RF signals; and a processor coupled to the RF circuitry toprovide processing in which the processor to: receive a first signalfrom a wireless device in a network over a communication link during afirst operational period, in which the network also includes theapparatus; determine from receiving the first signal, transmissioncharacteristics of the wireless device in transmitting the first signalto the apparatus; determine, via interaction with the wireless device,communication link characteristics for implementation on thecommunication link to service communications between the apparatus andthe wireless device; enact the communication link characteristics forthe communication link to service communications between the apparatusand the wireless device; associate the transmission characteristics andthe communication link characteristics corresponding to the first signalfrom the wireless device over the communication link; store in astorage, the associated transmission characteristics and thecommunication link characteristics corresponding to the communicationlink with the wireless device; receive a second signal from the wirelessdevice during a second operational period following the firstoperational period; determine from receiving the second signal,transmission characteristics of the wireless device in transmitting thesecond signal; search the storage to identify transmissioncharacteristics stored in the storage that matches the transmissioncharacteristics determined for the second signal; retrieve from thestorage, corresponding communication link characteristics associatedwith a matching transmission characteristics, when there is a match ofthe transmission characteristics of the second signal to thetransmission characteristics of the first signal in the storage; and usestored communication link characteristics of the matching transmissioncharacteristics, instead of determining communication linkcharacteristics for the second signal by interacting with the wirelessdevice, to service communications on the communication link between theapparatus and the wireless device following reception of the secondsignal, but when the matching transmission characteristic is notidentified in the storage for the second signal, determine thecommunication link characteristics for the communication link, viainteraction with the wireless device.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein the processor to determine the transmission characteristics ofthe wireless device for the first signal by determining at least one of:a clock offset between the apparatus and the wireless device; a phaseshift between copies of the first signal received via differing antennasof the apparatus; received signal strength of the first signal;in-phase/quadrature imbalance of the first signal; and carrier leakageof the first signal.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processorto determine the communication link characteristics by determining atleast one of: receiver gain settings of the apparatus; and codingsettings of the apparatus.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein theprocessor to determine the communication link characteristics bydetermining a communication protocol standard supporting communicationsbetween the apparatus and the wireless device.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the apparatus to operate as an access point for thenetwork.
 11. A method comprising: receiving, at a first wireless devicein a network, a first wireless signal from a second wireless device inthe network over a communication link during a first operational period;determining from receiving the first wireless signal at the firstwireless device using a directional antenna, relative position of thefirst wireless device to the second wireless device from other wirelessdevices in the network; determining, at the first wireless device viainteraction with the second wireless device, communication linkcharacteristics for implementation on the communication link to servicecommunications between the first and second wireless devices; enactingthe communication link characteristics for the communication link toservice communications between the first and second wireless devices;associating the relative position and the communication linkcharacteristics corresponding to the first wireless signal from thesecond wireless device over the communication link; storing, in astorage of the first wireless device, the associated relative positionand the communication link characteristics corresponding to thecommunication link with the second wireless device; receiving, at thefirst wireless device, a second wireless signal from the second wirelessdevice during a second operational period following the firstoperational period; determining from receiving the second wirelesssignal at the first wireless device using the directional antenna,relative position of the first wireless device to the second wirelessdevice from the other wireless devices in the network; searching thestorage to identify relative positions stored in the storage thatmatches the relative position determined for the second wireless signal;retrieving from the storage, corresponding communication linkcharacteristics associated with a matching relative position, when thereis a match of the relative position of the second wireless signal to therelative position of the first wireless signal in the storage; and usingstored communication link characteristics of the matching relativeposition, instead of determining communication link characteristics forthe second wireless device by interacting with the second wirelessdevice, to service communications on the communication link between thefirst and second wireless devices following reception of the secondwireless signal, but when the matching relative position is notidentified in the storage for the second wireless signal, determiningthe communication link characteristics for the communication link, viainteraction with the second wireless device.
 12. The method of claim 11,wherein determining the relative position of the second wireless deviceincludes determining a relative angular position between the first andsecond wireless devices.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein determiningthe relative position of the second wireless device includes controllingdirectional antennas.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein determiningthe relative position of the second wireless device includes controllinga gain pattern of the directional antennas.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein determining the relative position of the second wirelessincludes determining a relative angular position between the first andsecond wireless devices using the directional antennas.
 16. An apparatuscomprising: a radio frequency (RF) circuitry to wirelessly transmit andreceive RF signals; and a processor coupled to the RF circuitry toprovide processing in which the processor to: receive a first signalfrom a wireless device in a network over a communication link during afirst operational period, in which the network also includes theapparatus; determine from receiving the first signal using a directionalantenna, relative position of the apparatus to the wireless device fromother wireless devices in the network; determine, via interaction withthe wireless device, communication link characteristics forimplementation on the communication link to service communicationsbetween the apparatus and the wireless device; enact the communicationlink characteristics for the communication link to servicecommunications between the apparatus and the wireless device; associatethe relative position and the communication link characteristicscorresponding to the first signal from the wireless device over thecommunication link; store, in a storage, the associated relativeposition and the communication link characteristics corresponding to thecommunication link with the wireless device; receive a second signalfrom the wireless device during a second operational period followingthe first operational period; determine from receiving the second signalusing the directional antenna, relative position of the apparatus to thewireless device from the other wireless devices in the network; searchthe storage to identify relative positions stored in the storage thatmatches the relative position determined for the second signal; retrievefrom the storage, corresponding communication link characteristicsassociated with a matching relative position, when there is a match ofthe relative position of the second signal to the relative position ofthe first wireless signal in the storage; and use stored communicationlink characteristics of the matching relative position, instead ofdetermining communication link characteristics for the second signal byinteracting with the wireless device, to service communications on thecommunication link between the apparatus and the wireless devicefollowing reception of the second signal, but when the matching relativeposition is not identified in the storage for the second signal,determine the communication link characteristics for the communicationlink, via interaction with the wireless device.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, further including the processor to determine the relativeposition of the wireless device by determining a relative angularposition between the apparatus and the wireless device.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16, further including the processor to determine therelative position of the wireless device by controlling directionalantennas.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further including the processorto determine the relative position of the wireless device by controllinga gain pattern of the directional antennas.
 20. The apparatus of claim18, further including the processor to determine the relative positionof the wireless device by determining a relative angular positionbetween the apparatus and the wireless device using the directionalantennas.